


Mandala

by DreamsOfSleep



Series: Ness Drabbles [6]
Category: New Girl
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Missed Connections, Post-Divorce, Running Away, Second Chances, Walks On The Beach
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-30 02:49:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10151648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsOfSleep/pseuds/DreamsOfSleep
Summary: Scene from a fic I'm planning tentatively titled "Missed Connections." AU where Nick and Jess don’t meet until much later in life after Nick has gone through a messy divorce with Caroline and before Jess marries Sam:





	

**Author's Note:**

> mandala: a geometric form representing a perfect universe, typically a circle inscribed within a square
> 
> Buddhist monks spend hours creating intricate mandalas out of sand before destroying them. The process is meant to illustrate the idea that nothing is permanent. Things in the world are beautiful but ephemeral. The world is constantly in motion so nothing really lasts no matter how much you would like to hold onto them.

They’re walking barefoot along the beach in comfortable silence. The sun’s just coming up. He doesn’t know the last time he was even awake this early. No one else is on the beach except for the two of them, walking along the shore hand in hand.

He hasn’t been to the beach in years. The last time was one horrible night he wanted to block from his memory forever but he can’t help being reminded of right now. 

“I thought I had cancer once,” he blurts out. “Sorry, I don’t know why I said that.” _Way to be a downer, Miller._ Only he would take the happiest time of his life and combine it with one of the saddest. His brain is an asshole.

“What happened?” she asks gently.

“Nothing. I didn’t have cancer…which is my way of saying I’m glad I lived long enough to be here now.” He pauses, lost in thought. “You don’t really understand what you have until you have the chance to lose it, I think.”

He continues walking ahead, but she stops and pulls on his arm slightly so he has to look at her. “You’re not going to lose me, Nick.”

It's a nice thing to say while they're both here in Paradise but he would rather face the truth. 

“You don’t have to promise me anything, Jess. I’m just happy right now. If you wake up tomorrow and think you made this huge mistake running away with me, I’ll understand. If right now is all we have, I’ll go home and I’ll be happy.”

“It’s not a mistake,” she says with conviction. “I’m happy here now but when we go home, I’ll be happy there too because I’m with you.”

He smiles at the sentiment, at her wide-eyed optimism, but he knows Caroline was happy with him once too so he tries not to get his hopes up about it. He stands on that Mexican beach looking into her face and tries to memorize that look in her eye now, loving him here, even if it’s only temporary.


End file.
